Angel of Darkness: The Battle Continues
by HorseLover32
Summary: It's been a month since Lara left the Strahov and it seems like it's over.She soon fnds out that Kurtis,the Cabal, and the Lux Veritatis are alive.She soon finds herself fighting to stop the Cabal from ruling the world.Will they succeed or is it too late?
1. Prologue

I do not own Lara Croft or anything in Tomb Raider, besides a few fan characters. They all are owned by Eidos, Core Design, and sadly Crystal Dynamics.

Prologue

~Strahov Fortress, Czech Republic~

Kurtis lay on the ground of the arena with the beheaded corpse of Boaz not far away. Blood poured out of the gaping wound in his abdomen like water out of a burst pipe. Kurtis knew this was it; it would be impossible that he would survive. Darkness slowly swallowed him and he was nearly unconscious. Then, footsteps sounded on the arena's floor and stopped at Kurtis and looked down at him. Kurtis's eyes widened as he saw the face, but then lost consciousness. The figure made a gesture to two men following and left, leaving them to carry him away. One of the men went to pick up the glaive, when a woman's sharp voice followed.

"No! Leave it, we want the Lady Croft to know that he's alive. After all, we have reasons to let her know." The man nodded and helped the other lift Kurtis. The woman looked back at the arena and walked out of the Strahov.

Lara limped into the arena wounded, but victorious. She placed her hand on a gear to rest when a pool of red caught her eye. She limped over to it and saw what she feared, Kurtis's glaive was in the pool of what she knew was blood. Lara picked it up and strangely it pulled her towards the exit. As suddenly as it became active, the glaive retracted its blades and the pull on it disappeared. Lara stared forward at the place where Boaz had been kept in. With some hesitation, she walked into the pitch darkness silently, but in her mind she was wondering if the American had died or if by some slim chance did he survive.

~ One Month Later, Croft Manor, Surrey, England~

Lara sat in her study, shortly after leaving the Strahov the police had found proof that it was Eckhardt or was she knew, Karel that killed Von Croy along with the Monstrum Victims. She was back in Surrey seemingly at ease. While in truth a thought plagued her mind. "What did happen to Kurtis?" she began to think, but she quickly fought it off. "Why must you wonder what happened to him. He means nothing to you, Lara. Never forget that, nothing!" she muttered. Lara stood up and pulled a book off of the bookshelf. "Time to find something to keep your mind from him."

~Unknown Location~

A door opened into a darkened study and a blond haired man stepped in. "You called me?" he said to the figure of a woman, the same one that was in the Strahov shortly before.

"Yes, remember what I said not too long ago? About letting the Lady Croft know that Kurtis is alive?" she began. The man nodded in understanding. "Good, well it seems that the time has come to let her know the truth of what was going on. I need you to go to Surrey, find the Lady Croft, and bring her here! I trust that you understand me?" she asked with a serious tone in her voice.

"Of course I do." he answered as he looked at the person in front of him. She smiled, something that was odd when it came to her.

"Very well. I expect that you start going to Surrey at this moment. It is vital that this is done and that she is here!"

"Understood. I won't fail you." the blond said.

"Good, now go. I don't want anyone, but you to know of this. Do not stop to speak to anyone and only bring what is necessary for this mission. You are free to go." The blond haired man nodded and left the study. He had somehow knew that he would be asked to leave from this place to somewhere else in the world, so he had packed in advance. He picked up his luggage, only a large suitcase.

"Caylis I hope you're right to do this." he said aloud and left, ready to go to Surrey.

II know, it's short and a little dull, but this is my first fanfiction. I'll be putting up the first chapter sometime this week or maybe later.


	2. Abduction

Chapter 1: Abduction

~ Croft Manor, Surrey, England: The next evening. ~ Lara walked into her study again. She had been training all day and decided that it would be a good idea to spend the rest of the evening in her study. As she stepped into the study and sat at her desk, she nearly regretted the decision. On her desk was Kurtis's Chirugai. She always wanted to get the thing off her desk and put it preferably out of sight. It always reminded her of Kurtis. "There you go again!" Lara scolded herself mentally. "For the last time he is nothing to you. Stop thinking about him!" Yet, Lara still picked up the circular metal object. Its surface still bore the rust colored smears of dried blood, most likely that of its owner. The memory of the arena flashed into her mind as if it were a scene of a movie. It was all so vivid, the decapitated corpse of the mutated Boaz, the open, dark chamber Boaz was held in, the pool of blood…it was all so fresh in her mind.A strange noise caused Lara to snap out of her thoughts. It had just came just behind the door to the study. It couldn't be Winston, as Lara decided to give him some time off. Lara took a pistol out of a desk door and walked silently towards the door. She pressed herself into the wall and in one swift movement, open the door and spun into the doorway aiming the out into the hall. All she was aimed at a dark, very empty hall. "I guess being alone is making me anxious." She thought. Lara stood into the doorway allowing herself to calm down. Suddenly, an impossibly strong arm pulled her back. Lara tried to break herself loose, losing her pistol in the struggle. She felt a cloth that had a strong chemical smell to her face. Everything went dark.

~ Unknown Location, time unknown ~Lara opened her eyes and found herself in the backseat of a car with blackened windows. She felt slightly drowsy. "Bloody hell." She muttered. She glanced up and saw that the driver's and front passenger seat was separated by what appeared to be shatterproof glass. In agitation, she slammed her head into the seat and tried to move her arms. They were bound together, why didn't she see that one coming. She felt the car stop and Lara looked back up. The driver turned off the car and left. The door closest to her head was opened and another person took her out of the car. Once out she was able to see who was both her driver and abductor. It was a man, about thirty years old with blond hair and grey-blue eyes.

"Hey, I got her here." The blond said as he walked behind Lara and cut whatever was binding her wrists. Lara had tried to make an effort to get away from the man, but he quickly locked her wrists together. Ordinarily Lara would have been able to break free and then beat both of the men into a bloody pulp. Only, the strength of the blond haired man was beyond that of any average human. "Let's go, Lady Croft." The blond man pushed her away from the car and towards a large manor, nearly as large as her own.

"Great, all I needed was to be kidnapped and most-likely threatened with death. I wonder what insane, madman planned this?" Lara thought bitterly as her captor stopped in order to open the manor's door.

"You're wrong." The blond said. " We aren't insane or are we going to kill you. That's all I can say to you about why you're here." Lara was somewhat shocked. How could this man know what she was thinking? There was no time to think about that though as she was nudged to walk into the manor. Lara stumbled into the main hall and was pushed forward. She kept her eyes focused on the floor as she tried to keep her mind blank, just in case this man was, though unlikely able to read her mind. Lara looked up as she neared a stair, one of three that lead to an upper floor that was visible in the foyer. The man behind her pushed to forward to walk up the stairs, which she did. As Lara neared the top of the stairs, she noticed a long hall that was right in front of the stairs. Lara was pushed towards the hall and nudged hard to rush her.

"Jerk." Lara thought as she turned to shoot a nasty look at the man.

"Hey, the sooner this is over with the sooner you get your answer." he mutters to her. Lara began to walk faster, even though she had a feeling of dread. Lara couldn't believe what this man was telling her. She just knew that all of this would lead to disaster and bloodshed, hopefully not her own. Yet, the way things looked in her eyes said other wise. She stared back at the floor feeling a mixture of both anger and fear. They kidnap her, bring her who-knows-where, and are reluctant to say anything concerning why she is here to her. All things that, in her past meant trouble. Lara has jolted out of her thoughts as the man stopped her. In front of her was a large doorway with two strange crests on the doors.

"It's up to you from here." the blond man began. "You'll learn what you must know in there. Hopefully, you will see that we aren't the bad guys." The man opened the door and made a gesture to go into the room. Lara hesitated for a moment and then shaking off any worries, she walked through the doors.

What do you think of it? I hope it's gotten pretty good now. I'll post the next chapter soon. Please review if you please.


	3. Lady Huissturm

Chapter 2: Lady Huissturm

Lara stepped into the room and realized that it was a study. Strangely it seemed similar to Vasily's study back in the Czech Republic. Only, it was more open, didn't have the same design in the middle of the floor and above the doorway; it also held more objects in the room. Plants were kept on some tables and paintings of things in nature hung on walls. Some objects also were clay models and drawings that seemed to have been made by a child. Lara's eyes became fixated on a desk just behind the design in the middle of the floor. Two dogs, a German shepherd-like one and a dog similar to a rottweiler sat at both sides of the desk and sitting at the desk was a woman. She was possibly in her late twenties. She had raven black hair that was between wavy and curly, yet it was her eyes that caught Lara off guard. They were a very deep blue color and they gave you the feeling that they could see right through you. They also were very familiar though. She gave a slight smile.

"I'm glad that the infamous Lady Lara Croft has come." her voice was that of a leader, someone who was kind, yet used to giving orders. It was also that of an American by the way she spoke. For a short moment the woman's eyes flashed over to the door, the blond haired man was still standing in the doorway. "Thank you, Vaughn." the woman began. "You're free to go." there was a tone of confusion in her voice. As if she didn't expect him to stay. "Lady Croft, take a seat please." she gestured to a chair that was in front of her desk. Lara hesitated for a moment and then walked to the chair and sat down, but continued to eye the woman suspiciously. "I can tell you are not too pleased about…how you came."

"Well if you were knocked out, tied in the back of a car, and brought to who-knows-where wouldn't you be!" Lara shouted, she had no patience at the moment. The woman though stayed unusually calm.

"I'm sorry it had to have lead to this Lady Croft." the woman answered with much sincerity. "We had to bring you here and this was the easiest way to do it."

"Then can I ask why you brought me here?" Lara questioned. The woman took a deep breath.

"You were in quite a situation a month ago." the woman paused for a second. "You're mentor was murdered, you became a fugitive, and were dragged into a plot that may have ended humanity. You had to stop the Cabal from reviving the Sleeper, last of the Nephilim race." Lara's eyes widened in shock. It was impossible for anyone besides her to know about what happened to her last month. To everyone in the world, she had just been in hiding and accidentally had a run in with Eckhardt, who turned out to be the real Monstrum. The woman began to continue. "You may think that it's over. You don't need to hear the words "Cabal" or "Nephilim" ever again. I'm sorry to say this, but the Cabal are not finished, their plan is not finished, and Karel is alive." She paused again. "Because of your involvement in setting their plan back, you have become a liability. They are hunting you down like prey and more than anything…will kill you.".

"Who exactly are you? How do you this?" Lara said in both shock and suspicion. She saw the woman give another slight smile.

"I am known to those close to me as Lady Caylis Huissturm. The leader of the Huissturm group. One of the only three surviving Lux Veritatis groups and as leader, I know everything that concerns anyone in the Lux Veritatis." the woman said with dignity and authority.

"Impossible…I thought that the Lux Veritatis was an extinct order. Kurtis behaved like he was the last one." Lara thought in complete shock.

"Nothing is impossible." the Lux Veritatis leader said. "Our numbers have diminished and most in the last fifty years have been murdered by the Cabal. We try as hard as possible to defend ourselves and our families. We interfere with the Cabal in ways that they will never expect, as a result. We stay alive." Caylis answered the questions Lara had thought of. Lara looked down.

"Karel is alive." she muttered.

"Yes, Nephilim are not easy to kill. I'll get into more detail though when you get some more rest." the leader stood up. "Hadrian. Portia." she said to the two "dogs" who stood up along with Caylis. "I'll show you where you'll stay myself. I don't think any of the others will appreciate me waking them up this late." she said in a gentle tone. She lead Lara out of her study and to the left of the hall that lead to her study. There where a few doors down that hall and lead to another stair. Caylis quickly walked up the stairs and waited for a few moments for Lara to follow. 

"She's so fast. It's hard to believe that she's even human." Lara thought as she dashed up the stairs. Caylis turned and walked down the hall. She stopped at one room and opened the door. Lara walked over and Caylis gestured to it. 

"It's best that you get some sleep. I will tell you that it may be an exhausting day tomorrow." Caylis said as Lara walked in. The door was shut behind her. Lara looked at the pitch darkness around her. She was surprised by this, but she was in fact tired. Lara felt her way to the bed, lay down on it, and quickly drifted to sleep.

I hope it's gotten a bit better. I'm slowly building up the length of each chapter. You also may ask…where is Kurtis? Well, I'll explain that real soon. 


	4. One Question Answered

Chapter 3: One Question Answered

~Area…still unknown, 9:23 A.M~

A sharp knock came on the door and Lara opened her eyes. She sat up in bed and looked at her surroundings. Obviously it wasn't her bedroom which she is used to waking up in. "It looks like everything that happened. Being kidnapped, being dragged to some unknown place, and meeting Caylis wasn't all some strange dream. Which means that what she told me about the Cabal wasn't a dream too." she thought somewhat bitterly. Lara stood up from bed and walked over to the door. After another sharp knock Lara opened it to see the same blond haired man that brought her to this place and most-likely kidnapped her. She stared hard into his grey-blue eyes, which shown much indifference to the hostile glare. "It's you again." Lara growled.

"I can tell someone can't get over the fact that they were kidnapped." the blond coolly replied. This man was just too calm to be human.

"Let's see if you enjoy being kidnapped and dragged to some random place!" Lara yelled. The man didn't even flinch.

"Well, I just came here to tell you that Caylis thinks you may want to see something after breakfast…which would have been hours earlier if my wi…I mean my leader did not decide to wait for you. For a tomb raider, you wake up very late." there was a slight hint of annoyance in the man's voice.

"What? What time is it?" Lara asked. The man looked at his watch.

"It's a little before nine-thirty."

"What I haven't woken up that late in quite a while." Lara thought and then looked hard to the man again. "That chemical you used on me was supposed to do that, didn't it?" Lara asked with a suspicious tone.

"I don't know. It was an experimental anesthetic and I had nothing to do with it. You can ask the person who made it during the meeting. Now come on. I'm sure everyone is sick of waiting." he said as he turned and walked down the hall and down the stairs. Lara sighed and walked after him. The man waited at a door near the left stairwell in the foyer, she didn't notice it before. "Come on. Everyone's waiting for us." the blond said to her as she stepped off the stairs. He opened the door and walked in at the same time that Lara did.

There was much talking in the room and it was clear what it was. Just by seeing a large dining table made it simple to see that this was a dining room and a fairly large one. There were fifteen people sitting at the table each one talking to someone. Lara's eyes searched for Caylis and found her at the far end of the table talking to a woman seemingly in her mid-twenties or younger and holding an infant. Lara also saw the blond man sit in an empty seat next to Caylis and next to two children that should be four or five years old. The blond man tapped Caylis shoulder and whispered something to her. Caylis turned to see Lara at the far end of the room.

"Lady Croft. Forgive me for not seeing you there. Please sit down." Caylis cheerfully said gesturing to a seat to the left of her. Lara walked over and sat down, she noticed out of the corner of her eye that the seat next to one of the children the blond was sitting next to was empty. "I see that you are interested in where my brother is supposed to sit." Caylis said.

"What?" Lara asked in confusion.

"My brother. He sits there. He left here when I was only sixteen years old. Yet, a month ago he nearly died of an injury. I knew that he would be where he was and brought him to get medical treatment. That's what I was talking to Ofelia about." Caylis replied as she pointed to the woman that sat next to Lara. The woman turned as Caylis said her name. She looked to be about twenty-five years old and looked to be of Spanish and Latin American decent. She also seemed similar to someone she saw before, but Lara couldn't remember exactly where.

"I…I'm Ofelia. Ofelia Boaz." the woman said, her voice quavering.

"Boaz." Lara answered in shock, finally remembering who this woman reminded her of. The woman that Eckhardt had thrown into what Boaz called "The Pod". The woman that was mutated and that Kurtis had to fight. Is it possible that she could be related.

"Yes." Ofelia said, but gave a look that shown that she knew why Lara was shocked.

"That," the blond began. "Is the past and the past is over. I don't want anything about what happened in the past to be mentioned this early in the day." He was obviously irritated, contrary to how calm he was earlier.

"I agree with Vaughn." Caylis said as she looked down at the infant she was holding in her arms. "It's better to leave the past alone for now." Everything in the room turned quiet, no one, not even the two children that sat next to the blond haired man, who apparently was named Vaughn. For the remainder of breakfast, no one uttered a word. After everyone was finished Caylis stood up. "I'm holding a meeting at noon. I also want Ofelia and Rosa to stay here for a few moments. I hope everyone has a good day and I will speak to all of you later." she addressed. The room cleared out quickly and chatter resumed as everyone left. All that were left were Lara, Caylis, Ofelia, and a girl barely in her twenties that looked similar to Ofelia, obviously the Rosa girl that Caylis addressed.

"Yes Caylis?" Ofelia asked once everyone was gone.

"I think you should bring Lady Croft down into the fortress. I'm sure she should see a reason why I wanted her here, besides possibility of death by Cabal." Caylis began. "I'd do it myself, but I have some work to do. Besides, I think both of you need to go to check on my brother."

"Oh, of course Caylis. Just consider it done." Ofelia answered her leader. Caylis have another slight smile.

"Thank you. Remember, noon, like I said." Caylis quickly walked out of the room. Lara looked at both women.

"We might want to get this done as soon as possible. It might answer a question you have been having for the past month, possible even more." Rosa said after some silence. She began to rush to a door at the back of the dining room. "Come on. We don't have all day!" she shouted impatiently after seeing that neither Lara or Ofelia had not moved.

"Please excuse my sister. She has no patience for anyone." Ofelia quietly said to Lara as she walked over to the door.

"Why am I doing this again?" Lara thought. "Oh, that's right. I have no clue where I am and it wouldn't be surprising if they are plotting to kill me." Lara followed both women into the next room, which was bare, besides a large grandfather clock. Lara looked at Ofelia, who was walking to the clock. She opened the glass casing around the clock's face and rotated the minute hand three times. The clock slowly shifted and a darkened staircase was revealed behind the old clock.

"Come on. I'm sure you'll be surprised." Rosa said as she disappeared down into the pitch black darkness. Ofelia placed her hand on the wall and began to also sink into the darkness. Lara anxious to find out what question that Rosa was talking about followed both women.

"What was she talking about anyway. I have no questions about anything…except. Oh, would I quit thinking about that!" Lara thought as she thought of Kurtis again. Up ahead, Rosa had opened a door at the bottom of the staircase. A bolt of bright light shot through the staircase. Lara rushed down the stairs and continued to follow Rosa and Ofelia. Once Lara had passed through the door she found herself in a pale colored hallway with some shatterproof glass windows looking into some of the very few rooms in that hall.

"Ms. Croft, I think you should follow me from this point. Rosa has some work of her own to attend to." Ofelia said in almost a whisper as Rosa rushed down the hall. Ofelia looked on at her sister for a moment and then gestured for Lara to follow her down the hall. After passing two rooms Ofelia stopped at one with a large window looking in to it. "Ms. Croft, I hope this will bring an answer to one of your questions." Ofelia opened the door and walked in with Lara following close. It was an infirmary that this hall was, Lara had discovered after walking into the room. There were five hospital beds in this room. Four were empty, but the one that was farthest away from her was occupied. There was a man lying on the bed, his eyes closed and his abdomen bandaged. Yet, most of all he was the one that Lara expected to be dead. The one who plagued Lara thoughts for a month.

"Kurtis." Lara muttered.

When I say that Kurtis is alive, I mean it. Well Lara has one question answered and quite more that aren't. Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and review if you please.


	5. meeting

Sorry this is so late. A get real bad writer's block and am working on a second fanfic.

Chapter 4: Meeting

Lara stood in shock. How could Kurtis have survived? The pool of blood was too large to suggest that he was able to get up and leave the Strahov. There was just no possible way…just no possible way. "I know it's impossible for him to have lived. No one could survive so much blood loss. Yet, he's lying before me now." Lara thought as she followed Ofelia to the resting man. She checked his pulse and quickly placed a stethoscope on his chest.

"He should be up soon." Ofelia placed the stethoscope around her neck.

"Do you know what happened to him?"

"I don't have the authority to tell you, but I know Kurtis will be up very soon. If he wants to he can tell you what happened to him." Ofelia walked out of the room and carefully shut the door. Lara stood silently for a few seconds and took a stool from a nearby desk. She watched him for any signs that he would wake up. She sat there for what felt like hours and nothing happened. The silence in the room was deafening and no one seemed to walk past the large window that looked into the infirmary. She was nearly drifting to sleep until a faint groan from the bed caused her to become wide awake. The man sat up in bed with his hand shielding his eyes from the bright light of the infirmary.

"Kurtis?" Lara asked as he turned his head.

"Lara? That can't be you." he said in surprise.

"It is. I should be more surprised to see you. What happened? I thought you were dead.". Kurtis looked down.

"I thought that too. Not too long after you went to fight Eckhardt, Boaz turned into this mosquito type creature. I thought that I'd killed her, but once my back turned she stabbed me right here." Kurtis pointed at the middle of the thin layer of bandages covering his abdomen. "I thought I wouldn't get out of there."

"But you did…how?" Lara asked. Kurtis looked up.

"After what seemed like eternity someone came up to me. I look up and it's my sister. I blacked out shortly after and woke up here a few days later. Somehow Ofelia saved me. How, I'll never know." Kurtis looked back up at her. "Why did you want to know anyway?"

"Oh, it's just that I wondered how could you have disappeared if Boaz was dead. Your blade also was left there, just adding more confusion." Lara quickly answered.

"I should've guessed that. When I first woke up I couldn't find it anywhere. Ofelia told me Caylis left it behind for some reason."

"Caylis…that's the leader…right?" Lara asked. Kurtis nodded.

"She's also my sister."

"I see, she did mention finding a brother a month ago a while earlier. I didn't guess that it was you."

"Everyone here was surprised to see me. I ran away from being a Lux Veritatis a long time ago."

"Why's that?" Lara asked. Kurtis shrugged.

"It's a long story that I have no time to tell. Ofelia is gonna run back in here in three…two…one." before Kurtis even got to "one" the door swung open and Ofelia rushed in.

"I lost track of time…the meeting is in less than ten minutes. Kurtis, Caylis expects you to attend. Ms. Croft, this meeting concerns you too. You are not required to go, but I strongly suggest you do." Ofelia quickly, yet clearly stated and she rushed out of the room. Kurtis got up and tugged a shirt on.

"Let's go, before Cay has a fit." Kurtis and Lara both walked back up into the manor and across the hall from the dining room to a door on the other side of the foyer.

Kurtis opened the door into a large living area type room, where the fifteen people from before were gathered seated in a circle, talking amongst themselves, minus Vaughn who was standing with his back against a wall reading a book and the two children who where playing with toys right next to him. Caylis sat on a chair at the front of the circle holding the infant that she held during breakfast speaking. She looked up from the child at Lara and Kurtis, made a gesture to take a seat. She then cleared her throat causing everyone, but the two playing children to look up at her.

"Everyone, as you all may know the Cabal had quite recently attempted to revive the Nephilim race. Fortunately, that plot was ended by our visitor, Ms. Croft. Yet, I have been informed by Stephan that Karel has survived." A gasp came from a teenage girl sitting next to an older blonde haired woman who quickly got her to quiet down. "Karel himself is a Nephilim which quite frightens me. He is on the trail of another Nephilim. This one I am sure some of us have heard of from when my father was in charge, the one who is not to be named." A few worried murmurs came from a corner of the room. "Yes, most of us know the story. That certain Nephilim caused much trouble for us close to three hundred years ago. She was locked away since then. Yet, if Karel finds her prison…I will leave that scenario to your imaginations." A hand was raised from the same girl that gasped earlier. "Yes, Elizabeth?" Caylis asked.

"Ms. Caylis…um…wouldn't it be…um…hard for Karel to release…the other Nephilim without the Cabal?" she said, stuttering constantly.

"Stephan has reported that Karel has recruited three others to replace Muller, Eckhardt, and Boaz. Gunderson is still in the Cabal. Does that help, Elizabeth?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Any more questions?" She asked the others, but no more questions were asked. "Then, I believe that should conclude our meeting. Good day." Everyone in the room quickly left the room to go back to what they were doing. Kurtis had just stood up to leave when Caylis called out. "Kurtis. Wait a I'm going to go over the Mortis Angelus


	6. Flight to Paris

Hello readers of my fanfiction. Please excuse my late update of this. I have been in the hospital suffering from an A.V.M rupture and I had no access to my computer. So I sincerely apologize for the late update

CHAPTER 5: to the crypt of the fallen Huissturm family knights

(A week after the meeting)

It was a week after Caylis had addressed concern about the angelicus mortis. "everyone I just consulted the eldest adept in the Lux Veritatis and he recommends that we all go to the crypts of Caylis, Luke and then the angelus mortis since Caylis' weapon against the Nephilim was broken in two and buried with her and the other half was buried with Luke. We need the whole artifact to end the _angelus mortis _for good.

"Can't the periapt shards destroy her, lady Caylis?" the girl Elizabeth asked

" no this Nephilim is much too powerful Elizabeth if my father where still with us he would say the same after all no Lux knight knew more about the angelus mortis than my father and no one can challenge that. My father often told me about a map containing our family's crypts including Caylis and Luke's, Own crypts. It's in my study, please waiting a moment" Caylis said as she dashed up to her study to retrieve the map. Caylis quickly found the map and dashed back down stairs. "Okay, according to my map and notes. It is best if we get the parts of the weapon starting with the piece in Caylis's crypt which is outside of Paris in a lux Veritatis vault that the Limoux family of the lux Veritatis uses as a crypt for knights that have done an important thing for the lux Veritatis." "It is also were the angelus mortis is kept, for reasons I do not know they keep a Nehalem's corpse in one of our crypts. You got to love the Limoux family." Kurtis said

"Kurtis, while I too do not appreciate Antoine Limmox's ways of meddling in our group's business they still out rank us and we must respect them." cylis said with a forlorn tone. "We all will be heading to the crypt except for Kurtis. '"Why!" Kurtis shouted

"Well I need some one to watch Katie, zack, and Clara and since Isolde has spent a month babysitting you I am giving her a break from watching them." Caylis answered.

"I didn't ask her to save me."Kurtis argued

"Well, if she didn't you would be keeping mom and Dad Company in heaven."Caylis sternly replied.

"If dad is anywhere he's burning in hell." Kurtis bitterly responded

"Disrespectful to your arents even as an adult you never changed from being nineteen, older brother"

"And you are still a little miss perfect daughter Caylis." Kurtis retorted

"Well better to bring joy to your parents and relatives than is the disgrace of the family." Caylis snapped at her brother while handing him the infant she had been holding the whole day. "If you need help with her or zack, or Claire you can ask Ophelia if anything happens to any of my children I swear Kurtis you will know what it is like to be at the receiving end of my blade." Caylis warned while raising a weapon that was a semi circle with a purple-black blade that looked to be made of sharpened obsidian. "And I'll be sure to help out with that." Vaughn said as he took a broad sword out of a sheath attached to his belt.

"You know Vaughn, it might be better for you to not give everyone death threats just to ensure the job gets done right, that's Caylis' job." Kurtis said without any concern about the larger man's threat

"Actually, Kurtis I gave him the right to give death threats after all daddy gave mom the right to order some of the group around and Vaughn is my husband, so I should give him the same power over the group as daddy let mother have." Caylis said bursting in to the conversation

"Caylis, you are so soft. You know who his father is and you give him a ton of power over the group." Kurtis said seemingly to get under his sister's skin.

"You know what Kurtis, just shut up before I have Ophelia clip your voice box or leave you to be mauled by a proto in a Strahov strong hold, don't you dare think I won't do it, I swear on dad's grave." Caylis threatened with her chakram like blade quivering in Kurtis's face.

"You wouldn't slice your own brother to ribbons so soon after he came home. Would you?"

"Maybe I would, Kurtis." Caylis coldly answered her older brother while still brandishing her blade.

"Ok, people are we going to go to the crypt or are we all going to stand around flapping our jaws?" the irritated voice of the blonde woman broke any silence.

"Yes, Sandra. Just wait a while our flight isn't going to leave for an hour or so. Therefore josh isn't ready for us. "CAYLIS ANSWERED QUITE CALMLY REGAINING HER COMPOSURE from her clash with Kurtis A FEW MINUTES EARLIER. "That man can't be ready for anything, could explain why he left us after he wasn't prepared for an attack here that lead to Konstantin and Jonathan's death." Sandra replied with her voice dripping poison and anger.

"Sandra I know he couldn't keep my father or your husband from being killed by the cabal a few years ago, but I don't want anyone dwelling on the past or it will cloud your judgment, Sandra. You are my best friend and second in command, I don't want you to hurt yourself by keeping all this anger bottled up inside" she said trying to sooth the angry woman…

"What is she talking about Kurtis?" Lara asked the lux Veritatis next to her.

"Well, Liam is the owner of an airplane at a nearby airport. He used to be one of us, but he quit after he failed to protect my father and Sandra's husband, Jonathan who was my father's second in command. Sandra has always kept a grudge against Liam, blaming him for john's death and my father's death as well, while Caylis never blamed Liam in fact no one but Sandra does." Kurtis explained. "Sandra always needs someone to blame for everything." Kurtis said before Sandra gave him a glare that said 'keep talking about me and I'll seriously mess you up'.

A cell phone ringing broke the sudden science. Caylis reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. "hello, this is Caylis. Oh you're ready for us? Thanks Liam." Caylis said to who ever was on the other line of the phone obviously Liam.

"Listen up, everyone. Liam is ready for us. So move out, Kurtis I changed my mind you're coming with us I'll leave my kids with mom, she's been begging me to let them stay over her place and it's close to the airport, so we won't be delayed.

"Caylis can't you bring them with us?" Vaughn said to her with slight annoyance.

"Vaughn I understand that you don't like leaving the kids alone, but I can't let them get into a bad situation and if the Cabal finds out about them, face it they are as good as dead, the cabal will use children as away to take out their parents or they just kill them since they would grow up to be lux Veritatis knights see my point, Vaughn?" she asked after explaining her reasons for not wanting the children to come.

"Yes. I do, Cay." Vaughn answered. Vaughn then left and came back with the same car that he brought Lara in two days ago. "Okay, everyone pile in!" Vaughn called out once he pulled the car in front of everyone. Caylis went over to the car with the baby and put her in the car seat, before slipping into the front passenger seat. Everyone else slowly began to take seats into the car. Once everyone was in the car "off to the airport and then France!" Vaughn called out.

"Can we all sing "ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall, mommy?" the little boy that Lara saw playing next to Vaughn during the meeting suggested.

"No zack, you'll wake up your sister and you, Katie and Claire are only going to grandma's for a few days. You can sing over there. You know I only just got Katie to sleep and your dad get's distracted if she cries when he's driving." Caylis told her son.

"Wait, a second Kurtis, Vaughn and your sister are married?" Lara asked.

"Yes, they much as our father didn't want it to happen." Kurtis answered.

After about ten minutes of driving the car stopped in front of a house and Caylis took her children our of the car and into the house, presumably her mother's house once the children where dropped off Caylis sat back in the car and they drove to the air port which was about five minutes away.

Iguess I'm going to stop here for now. The plane trip is in the next chapter and maybe it will be three more before I finish the story completely.


	7. to the crypts

Hello readers of my fanfiction. Please excuse my late update of this. I have been in the hospital suffering from an A.V.M rupture and I had no access to my computer. So I sincerely apologize for the late update

CHAPTER 5: to the crypt of the fallen Huissturm family knights

(A week after the meeting)

It was a week after Caylis had addressed concern about the angelicus mortis. "everyone I just consulted the eldest adept in the Lux Veritatis and he recommends that we all go to the crypts of Caylis, Luke and then the angelus mortis since Caylis' weapon against the Nephilim was broken in two and buried with her and the other half was buried with Luke. We need the whole artifact to end the _angelus mortis _for good.

"Can't the periapt shards destroy her, lady Caylis?" the girl Elizabeth asked

" no this Nephilim is much too powerful Elizabeth if my father where still with us he would say the same after all no Lux knight knew more about the angelus mortis than my father and no one can challenge that. My father often told me about a map containing our family's crypts including Caylis and Luke's, Own crypts. It's in my study, please waiting a moment" Caylis said as she dashed up to her study to retrieve the map. Caylis quickly found the map and dashed back down stairs. "Okay, according to my map and notes. It is best if we get the parts of the weapon starting with the piece in Caylis's crypt which is outside of Paris in a lux Veritatis vault that the Limoux family of the lux Veritatis uses as a crypt for knights that have done an important thing for the lux Veritatis." "It is also were the angelus mortis is kept, for reasons I do not know they keep a Nehalem's corpse in one of our crypts. You got to love the Limoux family." Kurtis said

"Kurtis, while I too do not appreciate Antoine Limmox's ways of meddling in our group's business they still out rank us and we must respect them." cylis said with a forlorn tone. "We all will be heading to the crypt except for Kurtis. '"Why!" Kurtis shouted

"Well I need some one to watch Katie, zack, and Clara and since Isolde has spent a month babysitting you I am giving her a break from watching them." Caylis answered.

"I didn't ask her to save me."Kurtis argued

"Well, if she didn't you would be keeping mom and Dad Company in heaven."Caylis sternly replied.

"If dad is anywhere he's burning in hell." Kurtis bitterly responded

"Disrespectful to your arents even as an adult you never changed from being nineteen, older brother"

"And you are still a little miss perfect daughter Caylis." Kurtis retorted

"Well better to bring joy to your parents and relatives than is the disgrace of the family." Caylis snapped at her brother while handing him the infant she had been holding the whole day. "If you need help with her or zack, or Claire you can ask Ophelia if anything happens to any of my children I swear Kurtis you will know what it is like to be at the receiving end of my blade." Caylis warned while raising a weapon that was a semi circle with a purple-black blade that looked to be made of sharpened obsidian. "And I'll be sure to help out with that." Vaughn said as he took a broad sword out of a sheath attached to his belt.

"You know Vaughn, it might be better for you to not give everyone death threats just to ensure the job gets done right, that's Caylis' job." Kurtis said without any concern about the larger man's threat

"Actually, Kurtis I gave him the right to give death threats after all daddy gave mom the right to order some of the group around and Vaughn is my husband, so I should give him the same power over the group as daddy let mother have." Caylis said bursting in to the conversation

"Caylis, you are so soft. You know who his father is and you give him a ton of power over the group." Kurtis said seemingly to get under his sister's skin.

"You know what Kurtis, just shut up before I have Ophelia clip your voice box or leave you to be mauled by a proto in a Strahov strong hold, don't you dare think I won't do it, I swear on dad's grave." Caylis threatened with her chakram like blade quivering in Kurtis's face.

"You wouldn't slice your own brother to ribbons so soon after he came home. Would you?"

"Maybe I would, Kurtis." Caylis coldly answered her older brother while still brandishing her blade.

"Ok, people are we going to go to the crypt or are we all going to stand around flapping our jaws?" the irritated voice of the blonde woman broke any silence.

"Yes, Sandra. Just wait a while our flight isn't going to leave for an hour or so. Therefore josh isn't ready for us. "CAYLIS ANSWERED QUITE CALMLY REGAINING HER COMPOSURE from her clash with Kurtis A FEW MINUTES EARLIER. "That man can't be ready for anything, could explain why he left us after he wasn't prepared for an attack here that lead to Konstantin and Jonathan's death." Sandra replied with her voice dripping poison and anger.

"Sandra I know he couldn't keep my father or your husband from being killed by the cabal a few years ago, but I don't want anyone dwelling on the past or it will cloud your judgment, Sandra. You are my best friend and second in command, I don't want you to hurt yourself by keeping all this anger bottled up inside" she said trying to sooth the angry woman…

"What is she talking about Kurtis?" Lara asked the lux Veritatis next to her.

"Well, Liam is the owner of an airplane at a nearby airport. He used to be one of us, but he quit after he failed to protect my father and Sandra's husband, Jonathan who was my father's second in command. Sandra has always kept a grudge against Liam, blaming him for john's death and my father's death as well, while Caylis never blamed Liam in fact no one but Sandra does." Kurtis explained. "Sandra always needs someone to blame for everything." Kurtis said before Sandra gave him a glare that said 'keep talking about me and I'll seriously mess you up'.

A cell phone ringing broke the sudden science. Caylis reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. "hello, this is Caylis. Oh you're ready for us? Thanks Liam." Caylis said to who ever was on the other line of the phone obviously Liam.

"Listen up, everyone. Liam is ready for us. So move out, Kurtis I changed my mind you're coming with us I'll leave my kids with mom, she's been begging me to let them stay over her place and it's close to the airport, so we won't be delayed.

"Caylis can't you bring them with us?" Vaughn said to her with slight annoyance.

"Vaughn I understand that you don't like leaving the kids alone, but I can't let them get into a bad situation and if the Cabal finds out about them, face it they are as good as dead, the cabal will use children as away to take out their parents or they just kill them since they would grow up to be lux Veritatis knights see my point, Vaughn?" she asked after explaining her reasons for not wanting the children to come.

"Yes. I do, Cay." Vaughn answered. Vaughn then left and came back with the same car that he brought Lara in two days ago. "Okay, everyone pile in!" Vaughn called out once he pulled the car in front of everyone. Caylis went over to the car with the baby and put her in the car seat, before slipping into the front passenger seat. Everyone else slowly began to take seats into the car. Once everyone was in the car "off to the airport and then France!" Vaughn called out.

"Can we all sing "ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall, mommy?" the little boy that Lara saw playing next to Vaughn during the meeting suggested.

"No zack, you'll wake up your sister and you, Katie and Claire are only going to grandma's for a few days. You can sing over there. You know I only just got Katie to sleep and your dad get's distracted if she cries when he's driving." Caylis told her son.

"Wait, a second Kurtis, Vaughn and your sister are married?" Lara asked.

"Yes, they much as our father didn't want it to happen." Kurtis answered.

After about ten minutes of driving the car stopped in front of a house and Caylis took her children our of the car and into the house, presumably her mother's house once the children where dropped off Caylis sat back in the car and they drove to the air port which was about five minutes away.

Iguess I'm going to stop here for now. The plane trip is in the next chapter and maybe it will be three more before I finish the story completely.


	8. the flight to france

Chp. 6: the flight to Paris

After a half hour everyone was in their seats on the plane. Lara sat next to Kurtis right behind Caylis and Vaughn. Ofelia was sitting next to Lara by the window. "Ofelia, I didn't see you there." Kurtis said once he noticed the young doctor sitting by the window looking over some papers. "Well until you make a full recovery I have to keep a close eye on you and I have to make sure the anesthetic that Vaughn used on Lara doesn't still affect her." Ofelia said.

Wait, you created what Vaughn used on me?" Lara said in alarm.

Yes Lara. I created it for use on the battle field so that if I ever had to perform surgery to could put a person under quickly, but it's still experimental, but so far there are no Side effects besides drowsiness and decreased awareness, but that is what most anesthetics cause. But I in no way agree with Vaughn for using a medical tool as a weapon, medical tools are only supposed to save lives. "Ophelia said with passion in her voice.

"That's all I could've done to bring lady croft here, Ophelia." Vaughn said with anger in his voice.

"Well I'm sorry Vaughn, but what you did is the same thing your father would have done!" Ophelia said with poison dripping at each word.

"Ophelia, that was uncalled for!" Caylis scolded while placing a comforting and restraining hand on Vaughn's shoulder.

"Oh, forgive my outburst lady Caylis, I forgot about the situation regarding Vaughn's past." the doctor apologized with sincerity.

"OKAY DOCTOR, but this is the last time you bring up Vaughn's father, or I will be forced to exclude you from any missions."

"That is Understood lady Caylis. I promise that it will never happen again." Ophelia promised.

"Kurtis, why is it that every time Vaughn's father is brought up, does him start going hysterical.

"I can't tell you while Vaughn is around. My dear brother-in-law already is out to get me for numerous reasons that I do not want to bring up and telling you will unleash his fury on us both." Kurtis explained.

"I see." Lara replied.

"so, ofphelia, are you happy that you may be able to see Ari, again?" kurtis said to the young doctor

"of course I am, Kurtis." ophelia snapped somehow Kurtis's question had caused the young doctor to go into another angry streak.

"just so you know ms. Croft. Ari is my boyfriend that had to go to the Limoux group a few years ago. Kurtis


	9. the crypt of the fallen warriors

Sorry for the long wait my wonderful readers, but I had awful writer's block. So here is the second to last chapter, I am working on the last as we speak, so this time it shouldn't be so long of a wait for that one.

Chapter 9: the crypt of the fallen warriors

Lara saw Caylis break away from the rest of her group to speak to an older woman with graying blonde hair possibly the Lady Limoux that she was speaking of earlier. "I need All Huissturm knights and anyone with our come group to me!" Caylis commanded as all of her group went to her side. Lara reluctantly joined them.

"Okay everyone Lady Limoux has just informed me that the cabal is planning to re-awaken the _angelicus mortis _soon so we all must get to the crypts as soon as possible to get the pieces of Caylis' sword of light.

"Lady Limoux has offered to bring us to the Limoux headquarters and give us what we need to make it to the crypts." Caylis announced as she got into the passenger side of the black car that Lady Limoux came in. Vaughn quickly slipped into the back seat behind Caylis followed by Sandra, Ophelia, and Rosa all anxious to get to the crypts. Lady Limoux drove nearly an hour away to an old manor and stable that possibly dated back to when feudalism was still a popular social system. Lady Limoux parked in front of the manor and the group rushed out of the car in a fashion resembling that of a clown car.

"Lady Limoux, how are we going to get to the crypts?" Caylis asked the older woman.

"We will need to ride there it's about five miles away in the forest so it is only accessible on foot or horseback." Lady Limoux informed the young adept.

"Considering that the Huissturm group is said to be masters at horseman ship, I suppose we all shall travel by horse-back. But it is Lady Caylis' call on the subject." Lady Limoux informed.

"If it is alright with Lady Croft say we would ride the horses." Caylis said to her group.

"Actually Caylis, I have ridden horses, so I don't mind traveling on a horse." Lara said.

"Then it is settled." Caylis said with authority and agreement. Lady Limoux had then left with a few of her group and came back after a twenty minutes. Lady Limoux returned with most of her group leading horses. A gasp was heard from the Huissturm group's doctor.

"Ari! It's Ari; He's the one leading the pale grey gelding." Ofelia said as she waved at a tall brunette man leading a large pale grey horse. Lady Limoux walked up to Caylis and handed her black Anglo-Arabian mare to her. Caylis stroked the tiny white star on the mare's forehead and spoke softly and reassuringly to her. Kurtis looked slightly confused and called out,

"Caylis isn't that your mare Shadow Glen?" He asked.

"Yes Kurt, She's here because I let Lady Limoux help me with some of her training." Caylis called back.

"Is everyone ready to mount up!?" Lady Limoux shouted.

"I think we are!" Caylis shouted back and with a quick hand gesture everyone mounted at Caylis' command. Once everyone was ready, they all left the grounds of the manor and traveled at a brisk trot along a dark path in the woods at the back of the manor. It was a slow and rather boring ride, but an hour into the long trek it was clear that they were almost at the crypt as they entered what looked to be the ruins of a fort or monastery and they all dismounted once they came to the entrance of the crypt. Caylis ushered her group towards her and gave a few words as not to touch the stone prison of the _Angelicus Mortis _or they will risk her breaking free, oddly Caylis was looking at her brother during the time she was giving instruction. Thus said, the leaders of both Huissturm and Limoux groups announced that they will descend into the crypt. With help from Vaughn, the heavy stone door leading into the crypt was opened and everyone walked down a narrow flight of stairs Lady Limoux lit some torches to light the way down into the crypt. Lara noticed for the first time that Vaughn was carrying both a sword and a pistol.

"He must be expecting trouble, the Cabal, I suppose." Lara thought as she heard Caylis turn to speak to her group,

"Stay alert everyone. The Cabal may show up at any time and it would not be good for us if they caught us off guard." She warned. Once they climbed down the stairs, Lara saw the crypt. It was a large cavern with two tombs with the names of the deceased carved into them. Next to a tomb with the name "Caylis" engraved into it was a stone statue that looked similar to the one that collapsed in the earth part of the Hall of Seasons, only it looked more human. Lara also saw that the hilt of a sword was being held in the statue's hand. Kurtis moved close to Lara and told her that the hilt was part of his ancestor Caylis' sword that would kill the Angelicus mortis for good and that the other two pieces of the sword was put into the tombs and that only a descendant of Caylis could wield it without disturbing the rest of Caylis who would certainly not appreciate being awoken from her eternal rest. Lara was able to see Kurtis' sister begin to gather the pieces of the sword, but was more cautious while removing the hilt that was in the Nephilim's hand and pulled it out from the blade to avoid touching the stone prison. Back on the stairs, Lara could hear the sound of several people yelling and one man barking orders at the rest. It looked like the Csbal had just arrived.


	10. The Angelicus Mortis and Cabal return

Chapter10: The _Angelicus Mortis _and Cabal return

At the mention of the word "Cabal", the atmosphere changed as everyone was tense. Vaughn turned to some of the group and gave instructions,

"Look, if Gunderson is here and it is for certain that he is; No one but me can touch him!" The statement that the husband of Caylis had made confused Lara

"Why would Vaughn not want anyone else to fight Gunderson; it must be quite a bold act of bravado." She thought questioningly. Ophelia was setting up what looked like a medical space in case of injuries and she had an arsenal of weapons of her own, a dagger; tazer; and tranquilizer dart gun. Lara watched as Caylis and Sandra scrambled to get the three pieces of the sword from Caylis and Luke's tombs and the hilt which was in the hand of the imprisoned _Angelicus Mortis. _

"It's a good thing that Caylis and I are descendants of Caylis, the creator of the sword." Lara heard Kurtis say behind her.

"Why is that?" Lara asked.

"Well Lara, Caylis shortly before her death put a seal on the sword to prevent the Cabal from trying to use it. Only one of her descendants can wield the sword or take the hilt from the _Angelicus Mortis_. If anyone else does, it will awaken the _Angelicus Mortis_ which means that idiot would be screwed." Kurtis explained. In the meantime, Caylis and the others had finished gathering the fragments of the sword and one of the Limoux knights was helping Caylis reforge the sword. At that moment a familiar man with a shaved head, piercing blue eyes and dressed in a blue coat pants and black boots had entered the tomb with four or five troops. It was Marten Gunderson, the leader of the mercenaries that served the Cabal. Vaughn saw him and left Caylis's side to engage the man he so hated. Caylis spun around and feebly tried to call out at her husband,

"Vaughn!", but Vaughn was too occupied with fighting the man. Vaughn fought with the saber in his hand to fend off the mercenary leader before Gunderson had knocked the young man down with a punch to the head." Vaughn!" Caylis screamed as she ran to her injured husband. Caylis looked at Gunderson with such pure hate and slashed at him with one of her half-moon shaped blades that sliced into his arm causing crimson to stain the blue sleeve of his coat, but not without being given a swift slap to the face. Vaughn, who was still conscious saw that and began to scream,

"You son of a bitch, don't you dare touch my wife!" Vaughn also proceeded to stab his saber into Gunderson's leg causing the man to fall. Rosa had run over to help Caylis drag Vaughn back to the small medical area Ophelia had set up.

Madame Caylis, l'épée est prête!" The Limoux knight yelled from his small makeshift forge. Caylis left Vaughn with Ophelia and ran over to get the sword. In all the chaos, Caylis had failed to see that Karel had managed to get to the _Angelicus mortis _and was reciting an incantation that was setting her free. With a great noise the stone prison was broken open and the Nephilim was released. She was ghastly pale, with blood red eyes, and dull black hair. Caylis stopped and looked at Lara. "Lara, I know I shouldn't ask, as you are not Lux Veritatis, but will you help us defeat the Nephilim?" Caylis asked almost pleadingly. Lara nodded a yes and walked to the Lux Veritatis leader who put a hand on her shoulder and began to recite an incantation in Latin. "Lara, I have made it so that the seal around the sword is tricked into believing that you are a descendant of Caylis. This will end Karel once and for all. Please kill him so I can stop the _Angelicus Mortis." _Caylis added as Lara nodded again and took the sword from Caylis's hand. Caylis looked to the newly awakened _Angelicus Mortis_, bowed her head and began to pray silently before walking to the stone pedestal that the Angelicus Mortis was formerly imprisoned on and began to wipe away the dust and debris on it until she found a strange amulet on the pedestal. Caylis placed one hand over the amulet and recited another incantation in Latin. She walked in front of the _Angelicus Mortis_ and threw the amulet at the _Angelicus Mortis_ The amulet attached itself to the Nephilim's neck and the Nephilim's skin began to turn back into stone. While across the tomb, Lara with sword in hand stalked behind Karel who was distracted by the battle between the Cabal mercenaries and The remaining Lux knights of the Huissturm group. Lara took this opportunity to thrust the sword through Karel's upper back going through his heart and lungs. The sword began to glow and Karel's body began to wither to ashes. At the sight of the death of their leader, the Cabal began to retreat with Gunderson hobbling behind them.


	11. epilogue

Ok last chapter, I probably have left a ton of questions unanswered and that is the only thing about Angel of Darkness that I hated. Therefore, this chapter will be answering what questions you may have. I may make a Fic of drabbles about the Lux Veritatis groups or a prequel-like story of Kurtis and the other Huissturms. I will have a poll on my profile for you to vote on which idea you would like me to make a fic. Think of it as a present to all of my wonderful readers that I love so much.

Chapter 10: epilogue

It is finally over. Karel and the Nephilim race are finished. I still have questions about this Lux Veritatis group, so I will go back to America with them and get my answers.

*** Huissturm Manor, Salt Flats, Utah 3:00 P.M. ***

At the manor, everyone gathered in a large open area in the fortress under the manor. It was not just the members of the Huissturm Lux Veritatis group that gathered here. Some of the Limoux group was too. Caylis was talking with a man who looked to be only a little younger than Werner was when he died. I heard someone walk next to me and I turned to see that it was Kurtis.

"The man that Caylis is talking to is Antoine Limoux, The adept of the Limoux group." He explained before adding, "He and Caylis don't get along, so it's odd seeing them act civil towards each other."

"If you haven't been here for years; how is it that you know that?" I asked.

"Well, I was just talking to Vaughn and he was marveling about how they're getting along for once." Kurtis answered quickly.

"I see, Vaughn is quite temperamental in the discussion of certain topics; May I ask why now?"

"Sure; you see Gunderson is Vaughn's father' who had a hand in his mother's death and helps the Cabal in its effort to kill off the rest of the Lux Veritatis." Kurtis explained.

"I see; it must be hard to deal with so much tragedy." Lara responded.

"It is, but we're used to it; I mean Caylis and I lost our dad only two years ago." Kurtis added.

"All of us have lost loved ones," the voice of Ophelia said from behind Lara.

"You know Felia, it's rude to eavesdrop." Kurtis jovially scolded.

"Also, why don't you two get along too well?" Lara asked both Kurtis and the young Lux doctor.

"Well, I was Felia's first friend here when she was rescued from the Strahov; After I left, she felt betrayed by me." Kurtis explained.

"Wait, you came from the Strahov?" Lara asked Ophelia who looked to the left probably thinking of events of her past.

"Yes I did; Kristina Boaz was my aunt, and after my parents were killed she took us in; but she was recruited as part of the Cabal and had to take us with her to Prague; Eckhart wanted us to be used as experiments and later tried to kill us Tia Kristina reached out to my father's old contacts and reached the former doctor here who agreed to take us in. Kurtis and Caylis's father sent a group of knights to raid the Strahov and he brought us to America, as the doctor had adopted us." Ophelia explained. I felt something sniffing my leg behind me, and I turned to see a large white German shepherd wagging its tail. I noticed something was off about this dog, its canine teeth peeked out of its mouth and it had sharp claws that were longer and straighter than any natural dog's claws were.

"I see Shockra likes you." Ophelia said as she kneeled down to pet the "dog".

"Might I ask what is she?" I asked and Ophelia gave me a look that seemed to understand my question.

"She's a reversed-Proto-Nephilim." Ophelia and Caylis answered at once.

"What?" I asked again.

"She was a proto-Nephilim, but Ophelia managed to reverse the process used to turn dogs into highly dangerous, aggressive Nephilim hybrids." Caylis explained.

"Might I ask how and why?" Kurtis asked Ophelia.

"Well, I found my aunt's journal in the Sanatorium with instructions on how to reverse what she did her was guilty for doing so." Ophelia said with a matter-of-fact tone.

"Lara, would you come with me?" Caylis asked me as she took me by the hand and led me to the center of the room. She cleared her throat and Sandra brought a battery-powered microphone to her. Caylis switched it on and began to speak, "We are all here celebrating that we have set back the Cabal's plans and have destroyed two of the most powerful Nephilim that the Lux Veritatis have ever faced," Caylis paused. "This could not have been done if we had not had the help of Lady Lara Croft." Caylis ended her speech and everyone began to applaud. Caylis's two older children ran up to me and began to ask me questions as quickly as they could. Kurtis then walked over.

"Ok you two, I need to talk to Lara right now." He said to his niece and nephew. The two five-year-olds ran off to Shockra and began playing with Shockra. Kurtis looked at the reversed proto- Nephilim before saying,

"That thing used to be a Proto, I can't believe it."

"Why?" I asked.

"I fought a proto in the Strahov, and it was nothing like her." He answered.

"How is she different?"

"She's more like a dog than a Nephilim hybrid, and she stayed with me while I was in the infirmary."

"Ophelia said that she turned her back to being completely canine." Lara said repeating what she had heard.

"That makes sense, if anyone could reverse the affects of Nephilim DNA being spliced into a dog's DNA, and then Ophelia could do it," Kurtis began. "She was the one who preformed the surgery that saved my life, and that should tell you about her skill in her job." He continued.

"Yes, she seems to be a very skilled doctor." Lara agreed.

"She is; she worked hard to be the finest Lux Veritatis doctor in the Lux Veritatis." Kurtis said.

"Is that really what you had to talk to me about?" Lara questioned Kurtis.

"No, it isn't." Kurtis said in a somewhat embarrassed manner.

"Then what is it?" Lara interrogated. Kurtis looked away for a moment

"This." he said before pulling Lara towards him and kissing her.

"I've wanted to say the same thing for sometime now, Kurt." Lara admitted before saying, "Why don't you come back with me to Surrey?" Lara asked.

"I can't; I just got back to my family, and if I leave Cay and Vaughn are sure to get pissed." Kurtis said.

"Do you think I can visit every so often?" Lara asked.

"Of course, Caylis wouldn't mind having someone who helped destroy the Nephilim race to visit." Kurtis agreed.

"I'll keep in touch then." Lara said before saying her goodbyes to each member and leaving for Surrey.

****Croft Manor, Surrey, England the next morning.

"I can't believe it, Kurtis is alive and the Lux Veritatis still lives." Lara thought, as she was getting ready to go some training. She continued thinking about her unexpected trip as she looked at the blade that still lay on her desk later that evening. "I should probably send this back." She thought before leaving the room to train and plan the next time she would visit the group. The last few days were crazy, but worth the trouble to get more information on Kurtis's whereabouts and the Lux Veritatis. She was now at peace and ready to go on another adventure that had nothing to do with Nephilim, insane serial killers, or anything else of the like.

Fin

Everyone, thank you for reading this to the end, for your reviews, and your support. I hope you enjoyed my first fanfiction and that you will enjoy any others I post. Please take time to review and/or vote on what my next Tomb Raider fanfic should be. See you all!


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